(Sacramento, CA) – In Federal Court in Sacramento Monday, 43-year-old Jason Toland of Wheatland pled guilty to submitting false claims for COVID-19 pandemic tax relief, attempting to obtain $13.4-million by filing multiple false tax returns to get refunds for Employee Retention Credit and COVID Sick Family Leave Credit.

Additionally, he used made-up companies to obtain $1.7-million in Paycheck Protection Program & Economic Disaster Loan funds.

In total, he successfully, but temporarily stole just shy of $2-million, all of which he’ll be sentenced to pay back, with interest fees to the IRS and Small Business Administration. Toland is also facing a maximum of five years in federal prison and a quarter-million-dollar fine.